Teamwork makes the dream work right? Sure, the work gets done and at the end of the day everyone is happy that it’s over with and we can move on with our lives. However, we’ve all had that one partner that sat back and enjoyed the ride, or that partner who was so anal retentive that we wished we could duct tape their mouths shut.
The point I’m trying to make is that finding an amazing team that you just click with is not conveniently sold at your grocery store. It is something that develops with time, trust, and hard work. I’m not saying you will all be best friends or that you will see eye to eye on all issues but once all team members learn how to respect each other and speak to each other like the adults we hope we are, there is a chance that we will be on a successful team.
Now the question is, ‘how can I be an effective member of my team?’ Notice that the pronoun ‘I’? That’s right, there is an ‘I’ in team because building one starts with yourself and your choices. We cannot control what others will do or say but we can control ourselves. So, let’s go ahead and answer that question:
Respect Each Other
The first thing I want to point out is that we are all different! Everyone has different motivations, beliefs, backgrounds, and personalities. This is what shapes us as human beings and we cannot strip each other of that. Instead, we can accept our differences and understand that even though we are not the same we do have a common goal which is to complete a task or project or whatever it is you are working on as a team.
I also want to make a special plug for my introverted friends. I personally am an extrovert, I’ll talk to pretty much anyone, but I do have family members that are my complete opposite and I’m pretty sure they get sick of me after five minutes. Anyway, introverts can be viewed as rude because they keep to themselves or don’t go out of their way to get to know everyone in the team, but I am here to say that there is absolutely nothing wrong with not wanting to hang out at the water cooler and hear everything about your dog. As with anyone else, respect their boundaries and space. Understand that their personality is not meant as a snub toward you. Who knows, eventually they might open up and you’ll be surprised at the wonderful person you’ve encountered and all it took was a bit of patience and understanding.
Conflict Resolution
People tell me that I am a very confrontational person with zero filter, but I tend to view myself as being open and honest. If I see something I will say something. This is a trait that comes in handy when dealing with conflict. Don’t be fooled though, saying something is only a small part when dealing with conflict resolution and my conflict resolution skills definitely needed some beefing up and here are a few tips.
- I quickly had to learned that how I say the words is just as important as saying the words themselves. Be kind and respectful when discussing any issues.
- Practice active listening. You can do this by looking directly at the speaker, provide nonverbal cues, such as a head nod, and allow the speaker to say their whole piece.
- Brainstorm solutions.
- Compromise when needed. It is impossible to please all team members 100% of the time, by compromising a solution that makes all parties content is ideal. However, remember that any compromise should ultimately benefit the issue at hand not the personalities in the room.
- Be fluid. There is no perfect decision and sometimes it is necessary to backtrack and try other ideas. So, if a certain idea did not work, learn from the mistake, and move on.
Accountability
We all have a different definition of what it means to be accountable. At its core, it means that we are held responsible for our actions. That we congratulate ourselves for the wins but also take ownership of our mistakes. But what exactly are those actions? Well, that’s where the definition varies from person to person and there are no hard-set rules on what exactly it entails.
Accountability goes hand in hand with trust when working in a team setting. Each member of the team needs to feel that they aren’t working solo on what is supposed to be a collaboration. But with everyone having different definition on what actions are accountable, how do you all get on the same page? It’s simple and it can be accomplished by setting clear expectations for each team member.
Expectations can be set by the team leader or as a collaborative effort. Here are some questions that may be helpful when devising expectations:
- What is the main objective?
- How will success be measured?
- What time frame must they be completed in?
- What to do when you are struggling?
- When and how often will we be communicating?
Setting expectations is only half the battle. They set the bar to what we are required to do but what happens when a team member fails to meet them? As with all things, there is a learning curve when first entering a team. Empathize with teammates and provide constructive feedback, if they are struggling maybe all they need is a little nudge in the right direction. If you are the struggling team member, then practice your active listening skills and try to get on top of the situation because the next time there might be some tougher consequences associated with a repeated mistake.
The Dream Team
This is a great start to developing that unicorn team we all want to be a part of. We must all do our part to ensure a smooth path toward the completion of the project. At the end of the day just remember that there are not hard-set rules on how to manage or be a part of a team. Continually adjust and find what works best for your situation. Teams do not have to be a frightful experience, when done successfully they can foster an environment that could be considered a (work) family.
